The present invention relates to heatsink apparatus, and in particular but not exclusively to ducted heatsink apparatus for computer system components.
One application for the present invention relates to high density computer systems, for example, computer server systems for telecommunications applications. In telecommunications applications, it is important to provide high reliability and high capacity of operation. Various approaches have been taken to providing such high-performance, high reliability systems. Typically such systems are designed around providing redundant resources so that if one component of the system develops a fault, the system remains operational using the redundant resources. Fault tolerance can also be achieved, for example, with multiprocessor systems that provide redundancy through dynamic, e.g., software-controlled, task distribution. High density systems are typically rack mountable, with one or more processor systems occupying a shelf in the rack. The trend in recent times is to make the computers with smaller form factors. This means that more computers can be located in a rack. This has the advantage of increasing the processing density within the racks, and also the advantage of reducing the distance between the computer systems. High density computer systems, like other computer systems, require cooling. In high density systems it may be impossible or very difficult for components to be arranged so as to provide optimum flow of cooling air to all components of a given system or system module.
The present invention relates to control of the flow of cooling air through a computer system or computer system module to facilitate efficient cooling within the system or module.